The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-10-08
TIE PHYSICIAN OF SOUS.

One of the most significant metap hors by
which JESUS describes himself and his work,
is that of physician. He was the sinners
friend, and explained His relation to the de-
spised and outcast of mankind by this strik-
ing figure. "They that are whole" (strong
or well), he said, shave no need of physi-
sian, but they that are sick +" 12). Most of
the miracles, those of healing, are, SO to
speak, acted parallels illustrating this rela-
ton of JESUS to sinful man, as the great
Physician of Souls. Sin is soul sickness.
Salvation is spiritual healing, healthfulness
of soul. The maladies of the body and their
cure are employed to illustrate conditions of
sinfulness and the work of redemption. The
cure of the worst physical maladies are en-
ployed by the prophets to describe the times
of the Messiah (See Isaiah xiv. 1873. xxxy.
5, 6; xiii. q; Xxi u The miracles of healing
and mercy, were striking evidence that JE-
sus was the Messiah of prophecy. Moral
uncleanness is typefed by leprosy. The pos
session of demons fifty described moral in
sanity, and those whose lives were controlled
by evil influences and motives. The blind
and deaf and dumb, were types of such or
we're without spiritual sensibility. The lame
characterized those who halted in the way of
duty. The general inability of the soul to
do righteously was well illustrated by those
affected with palsy or paralysis. JESUS is
able and willing to cure all these maladies
that affiict mankind. He has authority to
remove them, which was shown or signifed
in his power to remove the diseases of men.
Sin is paralysis of the moral faculties. His
Divine authority to forgive men their sins
was manifested to the malevolent Jewish
teachers by his authority to command the
paralytic to arise and walk" The record
ed miraculous works of JESUS both accredit
and illustrate his Divinely authorized mis-
sion to be the Saviour of the World.
Some eminent scholars of undoubted
Christian character and purpose interpret
the miracles recorded of JESUS in the Gospe
narratives, as symbolic stories constructed
from the metaphors of the Messiah contained
in the Hebrew Scriptures, illustrating his
work and ministry as the spiritual leader and
Divinely moved friend of mankind.
Whether they are the narratives of real oc-
currences, as we believe most of them to
have been, as the evangelists who recorded
them evidently did, it is undoubtedly true
that their highest significance and chief value
to US are as symbols, rather than realities.
They are not now SO much evidences of
Christianity, as illustrations of its Divine
purpose and ministry to the world.
JESUS announced himself the Physician of
Souls, as he proved himself the Healer of
bodies. And this is the lesson we are to
learn from this incident. 1t will not help us
to know that he 1cas healer of bodily dis
ease; it will help to know that he is Healer
of Spiritual disease. The physical miracle
points to this soirltual truth.-Dr. DenlGrest,
rs. s. Helper" January, 1882.
There cannot be doubt that these storie
as well as the more general accounts OF how
JESUS restored the use of his lost powers, or
withered limbs to the crippled, the blind, the
dumb and the manned we're originally SYM
bolical rather than literal in their meaning.
They represent JEsUs-the friend of sinners.
the redeemer of the peoples of the land"
as restoring to the spiritually blind the per-
ception of the way of truth, and the path of
salvation; giving the morally crippled power
to walk after COPS commandments, the
deaf to hear his voice, his word of love, the
dumb to speak his praise; making the lepers
clean and restoring the dead to life, and 80
fulfilling the scriptural anticipations of the
Messianic age in which he himself saw his
mission indicated. Dir. HooykGds, "The BIZ
BILE for Learners"